Prolonged atrial standstill.

A 55 year old man with hypertensive cardiovascular disease and uremia was studied. Atrial standstill was confirmed by intracardiac electrocardiography and by inability to stimulate the atria using intraatrial cardiac electrical pacing. Atrial standstill was observed to persist for at least three months in duration. This rare cardiac mechanism disorder of atrial standstill, its characteristics and possible mechanisms are reviewed.